TERRY WILLIS (Australia)

Willis is one of the most senior officials on World Rugby’s disciplinary process and has previously sat in judgement on some of the sport’s most high-profile cases.

A lawyer from Sydney, he is steeped in New South Wales rugby tradition and was a keen sportsman himself. Once a finalist in the Australian national swimming championships, Willis also played water polo, participated in triathlons and tried his hand at rugby union and rugby league. He’s even a karate expert.

Acted as judicial chairman for the NSW Rugby Union for more than 20 years.

Willis was appointed as a judicial officer for the IRB in 1996 and has dealt with disciplinary matters in the last four World Cups, as well as the Lions tours of Australia (2001), New Zealand (2005) and South Africa (2009), plus other Tests down under and Super Rugby.

He was involved in the infamous case when New South Wales full-back Duncan McRae was banned for seven weeks for the horror incident involving Lions No10 Ronan O’Gara back in 2001.

Willis also sat in judgement when Danny Grewcock was banned for the Lions in 2005 for biting Keven Mealamu’s fingers. The incident provoked uproar because it came in the same match when a Mealamu-Tana Umaga spear tackle resulted in Lions skipper Brian O’Driscoll dislocating his shoulder.

Willis’ finding read: “The judicial officer accepted that Mealamu’s fingers inadvertently entered Grewcock’s mouth at the breakdown, but rather than removing the fingers in a more conventional way, Grewcock bit Mealamu’s right ring finger, and accordingly, he found that the player was guilty of biting.”

More recently, Willis banned Ireland’s Sean O’Brien for punching Pascal Pape at the Millennium Stadium in the 2015 World Cup. O’Brien missed Ireland’s quarter-final capitulation at the hands of Argentina.

ALAN HUDSON (Canada)

From Vancouver, Hudson is another who specialises in law in his day job. A leading member of the Canadian rugby community for many years, like Willis he also has been heavily involved in major rugby disciplinary cases down the years.

He too was a member of the 10-man panel of judicial officers who looked at cases arising from the 2015 World Cup.

In fact, Hudson was the man who ensured Australia openside Michael Hooper missed the decisive Pool B decider with Wales after the Wallaby flank flier was banned for the match.

Hooper had been cited for an aggressive clearout of England full-back Mike Brown during Australia’s earlier 33-13 victory over the hosts.

The offence usually leads to a minimum of a two-week punishment, but Hudson gave Hooper a reduced sentence because he felt it was a low-end offence and that the Australian had otherwise displayed good conduct and character.

Hudson was also on the disciplinary panel for the contentious incidents involving Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger during the brutal second Test against the Lions in 2009.

Burger was banned for eight weeks by Hudson for making contact with the eye area of Luke Fitzgerald. Hudson said he did not find the South African flanker’s actions intentional, but he did believe them to be ‘clearly reckless’.

Springboks lock Botha was handed a two-week suspension by Hudson for the dangerous charge into Adam Jones which put the Welsh prop in hospital with a dislocated shoulder.

South Africa's Schalk Burger is shown the yellow card (Image: David Davies/PA Wire)

In a controversial move, South Africa’s players and coaches wore white armbands featuring the word ‘justice’ during the third Test as a protest against Botha’s two-week suspension.

The Lions had been more angered by Burger and the fact he only received a yellow card during the game, rather than a straight red.

Hudson also banned Lions lock Simon Shaw for two weeks after he put his knee into the back of Springboks scrum-half Fourie du Preez during the third Test.

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JEAN NOEL COURAUD (France)

Yet another with legal expertise. Based in Paris, he is the third member of the Marler panel and was another World Rugby used to officiate on acts of foul play during the World Cup.

It was Couraud, as independent judicial officer, who banned Saracens’ Chris Ashton for 10 weeks for making contact with the eye area of the Ulster’s Luke Marshall during a European Champions Cup match earlier this year.

Ashton appealed against the penalty, but Couraud’s decision was upheld.

Closer to home, Couraud was on a three-man panel that banned Wales’ Bradley Davies for seven weeks for a reckless tip-tackle on Ireland’s Donncha Ryan during Wales’ 2012 Grand Slam march.

The panel deemed Davies’ offence merited a 12 week suspension, but took into account mitigating factors such as his previously good disciplinary record, his conduct at the hearing and the fact he pleaded guilty.